January 11, 2011

Stevie Wonder's "Visions" and 50 Years of Desegregation at UGA

During the month of January, the University of Georgia is celebrating 50 years of desegregation. On January 9, 1961, Charlayne Hunter - Gault and Hamilton Holmes (my fraternity brother) became the first blacks to register at UGA. Every time I learn about our race standing up for what we deserve, I can't help but feel grateful and proud.

While our people have made many great strides in this country, it is important to remember that the struggle is not over. This leads me to one of my favorite Stevie Wonder songs, "Visions." From the Grammy Award winning album Innervisions, "Visions" reminds me of the progress of our people and what we have yet to accomplish. Stevie sings about whether the visions in his mind will ever become a reality. Not only are the words powerful and filled with hope, the guitar in the song is classic. You may recognize it from Ginuwine's hit I'll Do Anything / I'm Sorry. If you've never had the pleasure of hearing the song before, you can find a Youtube video below. I've also posted the live version from his performance at the Rainbow Theater in London, where Stevie talks a little about the song. For more information about the history of the desegregation of the University of Georgia, please visit http://desegregation.uga.edu/index.php.